Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to sun visors. More particularly, the present invention relates to sun visors that are adapted to be attached to a pair of eyeglasses. More particularly, the present invention relates to sun visors which are useful in association with wire rim eyeglasses or sunglasses.
In the past, various types of sun visors have been prepared so as to protect the eyes from the glare and damaging rays of the sun. Typically, these sun visors will be fastened to the head of the wearer and extend outwardly above the eyes of the wearer. Conventionally, a bill of a generally quarter moon configuration will extend outwardly from the head of the wearer a sufficient distance so as to provide shade over the wearer""s eyes.
The most common type of sun visor includes a strap which extends around the head of the wearer. Often, this strap is very uncomfortable and will muss the hair of the wearer. In some circumstances, the strap will not adequately fit the size of the head of the wearer. When the wearer has on a pair of eyeglasses or sunglasses, the strap associated with the visor can often conflict with the positioning of the eyeglasses on the head of the wearer. As such, a need developed so as to allow for the use of a sun visor on or in association with the eyeglasses or sunglasses of the wearer.
Various patents, in the past, have issued relating to such eyeglass-attachable sun visors. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,543,667, issued on Oct. 1, 1985 to V. Garbutt describes a sun visor for attachment to a pair of eyeglass temples. The sun visor includes a bill member having a substantially flat, rigid stiffening member formed with a substantially concave inner edge and a substantially convex outer edge. A top and bottom material covers the top and bottom surfaces of the rigid stiffening member and has generally the same shape as the stiffening member. Another ribbon of material is folded over the outer edges of the bill member and the top and bottom material is secured thereto. A pair of loops of elastic material are stitched between the ribbon and the bottom material on the underside of the bill adjacent the sides where the edges meet. Unfortunately, with this type of device, the loops will tend to bend or distort wire rim glasses. There is no equalization of pressure between the respective pair of loops of elastic material. Additionally, and furthermore, the visor will tend to rest flat over the top of the eyeglasses in an uncomfortable and unattractive manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,481, issued on Nov. 22, 1988 to Palmer III et al., teaches an eye protection device which includes a frame bearing side supports. The side supports are suitable for supporting items such as goggles, eye masks and visors thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,005,214, issued on Apr. 9, 1991 to T. L. Koethe, teaches an eyeglass shade visor apparatus which is removably attachable to the front frame section of a pair of eyeglasses. Support tab portions of the visor portion extend downwardly from its bottom side surface adjacent to downturned opposite ends of the visor. Each of the support tab portions has a resilient attachment loop removably secured thereto. To install the visor, the outer ends of the eyeglass temple bar members are inserted into the attachment loops.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,529, issued on May 19, 1992, to J. S. Carr, describes a sun visor which is adapted for attachment to the temples of eyeglasses. The sun visor is constructed of a pliable material and includes a set of slits on each side of the sun visor. The visor is secured to the temples of the eyeglasses by weaving the temples through the respective slits of each set formed in the sun visor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,826,271, issued on Oct. 27, 1998 to L. A. Garrett, describes a sun visor which has sunglasses rotatably attached thereto so as to be movable between an up position and a down position. The sun visor is secured, by a strap, around the head of the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,933,862, issued on Aug. 10, 1999 to T. J. Landis, teaches a visor having a head band, a forwardly disposed shade and a pair of rearwardly disposed elongated support arm assemblies. The support arm assemblies are suitable for attachment to the temple portions of eyeglasses.
Various U.S. design patents have issued relating to such eyeglass-attachable visors. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 314,467, issued on Feb. 12, 1991 to R. W. Hall, shows a visor with eyeglass temples extending outwardly from a hand-shaped visor portion. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 320,609, issued on Oct. 8, 1991 to Cross et al., describes an eyeglass sun visor which has loops extending therefrom for fastening around the temples of eyeglasses. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 339,597, issued on Sep. 21, 1993 to T. Sprong, shows a visor formed of a suitable material with button assemblies at opposite ends for securing around the temples of eyeglasses. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 341,695, issued on Nov. 30, 1993 to K. A. Vandiver, shows a visor which includes a slit thereon suitable for allowing the temples of eyeglasses to pass therethrough.
The problem with these prior art device is their inability to be used with wire rim eyeglasses. Uneven pressures applied to such wire rims will distort or damage the actual wire frame of the glasses. Furthermore, when they are placed upon wire rim eyeglasses, these prior art sun visors often reside loosely and unattractively directly onto the top of the frame of the eyeglasses. These visors are often loosely connected to the rims of the glasses so that they slide back and forth and flop up and down. In other circumstances, the back edge of such sun visors will fit tightly against the forehead of the wearer so as to muss the hair of the wearer or leave unattractive visor marks on the skin of the wearer.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a sun visor which is suitable for attachment to wire rim eyeglasses and/or sunglasses.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a sun visor which can be secured in an arcuate shape above the top of the frame of the eyeglasses.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a sun visor which avoids the mussing of the wearer""s hair or the marking of the wearer""s skin.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a sun visor that fits securely upon wire rim glasses.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a sun visor that includes a shape whereby a hem can be easily affixed thereover.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a sun visor which is easy to install, easy to manufacture and relatively inexpensive.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification.
The present invention is a sun visor which is suitable for attachment to a pair of sunglasses or eyeglasses. As used herein, the term xe2x80x9ceyeglassesxe2x80x9d will encompass such sunglasses, spectacles and related items.
The sun visor of the present invention includes a panel in the shape of a bill formed of a flexible material and in a quarter-moon shape. The flexible material can be a variety of materials which are commonly used for the bills of caps. For example, the flexible material can be cloth over cardboard, a plastic material, a fibrous material, or similar material. The panel has a forward edge, a rearward edge and side corners formed at the ends of the panel between the forward edge and the rearward edge. The panel also has a top surface and a bottom surface.
A first elastic loop is affixed to the bottom surface of the panel adjacent to the forward edge at one corner. The first elastic loop extends toward the rearward edge for less than one-half of the width of the visor in that area. A second elastic loop is affixed to the panel on the bottom surface adjacent to the rearward edge at such corner. The second elastic loop will extend toward the forward edge and will extend for less than one-half of the width of the visor at that location. The first and second elastic loops are suitable for receiving the temple of eyeglasses therein.
A third elastic loop and a fourth elastic loop are formed at the opposite corner of the panel in the same orientation as the first elastic loop and the second elastic loop. The opposite temple of the eyeglasses are received by the third elastic loop and the fourth elastic loop. When the elastic loops are secured around the respective temples of the eyeglasses, the bottom surface of the panel will have an arcuate shape extending above the top of the rim of the eyeglasses. The rearward edge of the panel will be suitably spaced from the forehead of the wearer.
The forward edge and the rearward edge of the panel converge at opposite ends of the panel. The first and second elastic loops are affixed inwardly of one end of the panel. Similarly, the third and fourth elastic loops are positioned inwardly of the opposite end of the panel. A hem is affixed around the periphery of the panel along the forward edge and the rearward edge. The hem along the forward edge of the panel has its end connected to the hem along the rearward edge of the panel. Each of the first, second, third and fourth elastic loops are affixed so as to be interposed between the respective hem and the panel.